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Shotgun Players production of Abingdon Square, Maria
Irene Fornes' award-winning exploration of a young woman's spiritual
and sexual awakening, begins previews June 16, opens June 20 and runs
through July 7 at the Julia Morgan Theatre at the Julia Morgan Center
for the Arts, 2640 College Avenue in Berkeley. Opening night and PRESS
NIGHT are both Thursday, June 20.
The Obie-winning play, written in 1987, is set in 1908 during a time
of tremendous social change in America. As a 14-year-old the newly orphaned
Marion marries Juster, a man of 50, who is more of a father than a husband.
He has been kind to her and she feels tender towards him. But she falls
in love with Frank and her struggle to embrace this love mirrors the
turbulent times: the fight for women's suffrage; the union movement;
the first birth control clinic in the nation; the modernist movement
in art; African American influence on the mainstream culture of music
and dance. In her journey from child to woman-she is 24 by play's end-Marion's
illusions about romantic love have been shattered. She has discovered
her capacity for a deeper, more spiritual idea of love and we are left
with the question of who she will share that love with.
Maria Irene Fornes
As a feminist working in the avant-garde tradition of Beckett, Ionesco
and Genet, Fornes employs expressionistic yet lyrical language to push
against convention and stake out a territory in which women's concerns
are central and women as protagonists drive the action of the play.
Fornes' women often feel trapped, dominated by men, seeking ways to
escape. Yet, as Susan Sontag has written, Fornes is never in complicity
with the brutality she depicts, nor does she make her male characters
monstrous. Says director Shana Cooper, "All the characters in her
play are likeable and accessible in a very human way."
Cooper also has praise for the playwright's language, calling it "image
oriented, poetic, lyrical. A perfect complement to the Julia Morgan
Theatre." This is indeed a fitting play to be performed at the
Julia Morgan Theatre, which was built by the pioneering female architect
Julia Morgan in 1908, the year of the play's opening scenes. In their
lives and in their art, both playwright and architect defy the established
hierarchy in the hope of a more generous world.
Emerging director Shana Cooper, herself 24, understands Marion's dilemma
as one in which she feels trapped by the very security and safety she
seeks. "She is seduced by the warmth and elegance of Juster's home,
but his protection as well as the shelter of his beautiful residence
(decorated by his first wife) become smothering. Marion aches to escape.
Similarly, the audience will be drawn into the space as soon as they
step into the theatre, later to feel the depths of Marion's feeling
of entrapment.
Director
This is the Bay Area directorial debut for Cooper, the associate artistic
director and casting director for the California Shakespeare Festival.
Last fall she directed the Cal Shakes' Student Company production of
A Midsummer Night's Dream. She moved to the Bay Area from New
York City, where she directed the Off-Broadway remount of Virginia Stage
Company's production of Art, and performed with The Aquila Theatre
Company at the Clark Studio Theatre at Lincoln Center and continued
on with their National Tour in 2000. She has also directed at the Washington
Shakespeare Festival, and worked as an assistant director for The Guthrie
Theater, The Acting Company, and Virginia Stage Company. She is the
recipient of a 2002 TCG Observership Grant.
Cast & Design Team
Myla Balugay plays Marion; David Smith is Frank; Jacob Thompson is Michael;
and Chris Harold is Juster. Jim Cave provides the lighting design. Scenic
design is by Lisa Clark and costume design by Jocelyn Leiser.
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PUBLICITY
STILLS
PRODUCTION
INFORMATION
Directed by Shana Cooper
Scenic Design by Lisa Clark
Costume Design by Jocelyn Leiser
Lighting Design by Jim Cave
CAST
Marion: Myla Balugay
Frank: David Smith
Michael: Jacob Thompson
Juster: Christopher Herold
PREVIEWS
June 16, 18 & 19 at 8PM
OPENS
Thursday, June 20at 8 PM
CONTINUES
Thursdays
- Saturdays at 8 PM
Sundays at 7 PM
There is one Monday night performance on July 1.
There is no show on Thursday, July 4
CLOSES
Saturday, July 6th at 8 PM
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ASL
INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE
Friday, June 28th at 8 PM
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The
Julia Morgan Center is fully wheelchair accessible.
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CLOSES
Saturday, July 6th at 7pm
PERFORMED
AT
The Julia Morgan Theatre,
2640 College Avenue, Berkeley
Click here
for a map.
ADMISSION
Pay-What-You-Can Preview
Thursdays $10
Opening $25
General $18
Students, Seniors & TBA $12
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